IRLF 


;?: 


LESSON  FOR  THE  FARM  HOME 


Published  semi-monthly  throughout  the  year  by  the  New  York  State  College  of 
Agriculture  at  Cornell  University.  Entered  as  second-class  matter  October  13, 
1911,  at  the  post  office  at  Ithaca,  N.  Y.,  under  the  Act  of  Congress  of  July  16,  1894 

L.  H.  BAILEY,  Director 
COURSE  FOR  THE  FARM  HOME,  MARTHA  VAN  RENSSELAER,  Supervisor 


>L  i.  No.  23 


ITHACA,  N.  Y. 
SEPTEMBER  i,  1912 


FARM  HOUSE  SERIES  No.  4 


RULES   FOR   CLEANING 

MARY  URIE  WATSON 
(Ontario  Agricultural  College,  Guelph,  Canada) 

One  of  the  first  principles  of  scientific  management  is  to  systematize 
ich  piece  of  routine  work  so  that  it  may  be  done  in  the  shortest  time  with 

least  expenditure  of  energy.  A  record  is 
iade  of  the  best  method  to  accomplish  the 
iven  piece  of  work  and  that  record  is  put  in  a 
that  is  available  to  the  average  worker, 
systematic  work  saves  time  the  house  is  the 
|rst  place  in  which  to  begin  the  new  campaign 
>r  scientific  management,  since  the  slogan  of 
iany  housekeepers  is,  "  So  much  to  do,  and  so 
ittle  time  to  do  it." 

The   following   "  rules  for   work "   will   not 
irnish  to  the  housekeeper  new  ways  of  clean- 
ig  and  working.      They  do  not  even  attempt 
include  all  the  ordinary  work  of  the  house, 
"he  purpose  of  the  rules  is  to  give  directions 
various  household  processes  in  a  form  that 
ty  aid  the  housekeeper  in  systematizing  her 
>wn   work   and   the   work  of  those    who    are 
ssisting  her. 

THE    CLEANING    CLOSET 

In  every  house  there  should  be  a  cupboard  or 

closet  set  aside  for  cleaning  purposes,  "  with  a 

f  jn  .  FIG.  94. — A   mob  winter 

)lace    for    everything    and   everything   in   its 

lace."     The  cleansing  materials  and  apparatus  listed  under  the  following 


305674 


322 


THE  CORNELL  READING-COURSES 


directions  are  not  expensive  and  greatly  simplify  the  cleaning  problem. 
Shelves  and  racks  should  be  provided  for  holding  all  apparatus  and 
materials  needed,  and  as  far  as  possible  labels  should  show  where  each 
brush,  broom,  pail,  or  bottle  is  to  be  returned. 


FIG.  95. — An  old  wardrobe  made  over  into  a  storage  clipboard  for  cleaning  utensils 

The  following  list  of  materials  and  utensils  should  be  included  in  the 
housekeeper's  cleaning  kit: 


Alcohol 
Alum 
Ammonia 
Bath  brick 


Cleaning  materials 

Black  lead 
Borax 

Furniture  polish 
Kerosene 


RULES  FOR  CLEANING 


339 


4.  Fill  the  sink  half  full  of  strong,  hot  soda  water.     Put  the  drop  tray 

in  the  bottom  to  soak,  and  on  top  of  it  put  the  top  grates,  doors, 
and  all  movable  black  parts  of  the  stove. 

5.  Brush  out  both  ovens  and  all  parts  of  the  stove  frame. 

6.  Wet  one  of  the  old  cloths  in  hot  water,  rub  it  on  the  soap,  and 

wash  off  the  stove.  Dry  it,  if  necessary,  with  an  old  cloth.  Then 
oil  the  black  parts  very  lightly  with  the  separator  oil  and  polish 
it  off  thoroughly  with  another  old  dry  cloth. 

7.  Let  the  soda  water  out  of  the  sink,  let  in  fresh  warm  water,  and 

scrub  the  doors  and  other  black  pieces  with  the  wire  brush.  Dry 
them  off,  take  them  to  the  table,  oil  and  polish  them,  and  put 
them  back  on  the  stove. 

8.  Let  the  dirty  water  out  of  the  sink,  transfer  the  nickel  pieces, 

dripping  pan,  and  rack  to  the  sink,  pour  in  the  soapy  water, 
scrub  the  pieces  thoroughly,  dry  them  with  the  sink  towel,  and 
return  them  to  place. 

9.  Scrub,  rinse,  dry,  and  return  to  place  the  drop  tray. 

10.  Burn  the  old  cloths  and  wash  the  sink  out  carefully.  It  is  especially 
necessary  to  be  careful  about  burning  oily  cloths  that  are  not 
washed  after  using,  because  they  have  been  known  to  take  fire 
spontaneously  and  are  therefore  dangerous  when  tucked  into 
corners  out  of  sight. 

NOTE. —  Be  sure  to  have  the  stove  all  put  together  before  any  oiling  is  done. 


Apparatus:  THE  WALLS 

A  cornice  brush. 
Procedure: 

1 .  Close  all  the  doors  of  the  room,  and  cover  pictures  and  other  articles. 

2.  If  the  room  has  a  cornice,  brush  the  dust  out  carefully. 

3.  Brush  first  the  ceiling,  then  the  walls.     Brush  gently  so  as  to  gather 

the  dust  on  the  brush,  rather  than  to  scatter  it. 

4.  Shake  the  brush  well,  and  then  put  it  away. 

5.  Remove  the  covers   from  the  pictures   and   other  articles   gently, 

carry  the  covers  outside  to  shake,  and  fold  them  before  putting 
away. 

WINDOWS   AND  WINDOW  SHADES 

.  To  clean  windows 

Apparatus: 

A  high  stepladder,  fiber  tub,  damp  flannelette  duster,  scrub  cloth,  soft 

linen  towel,  chamois  leather,  ammonia,  and  warm  water. 
Procedure: 

i.  Fill  the  tub   half   full   of  warm  water  and  add  a  tablespoonful  of 
ammonia  or  a  few  drops  of  kerosene. 


340 


THE  CORNELL  READING-COURSES 


2 .  Carry  the  ladder  to  the  window,  roll  up  the  shade,  and  take  it 

Unroll  it  on  the  floor  or  over  a  table,  then  roll  it  up,  dusting  bo 
sides  as  it  rolls.     Stand  it  aside,  marking  to  which  window 
belongs  if  more  than  one  is  being  cleaned. 

3.  Dust  the  window,  especially  the  surrounding  woodwork,  with  tl 

damp  flannelette  duster. 

4.  Wash  the  glass,  especially  corners,  and  dry  with  the  linen  towel. 

5.  Polish  with  the  chamois  leather. 

6.  Replace  the  shade,  testing  carefully,  and  make  sure  the  spring  wor| 

properly. 

7.  Wash  out  the  tub,  towel,  cloth,  and  duster.     Hang  the  cloths 

dry  and  put  everything  else  away. 

8.  If  chamois  leather  is  not  available,  use  crumpled  newspaper. 

9.  The  following  mixture  may  be  used  instead  of  ammonia  and  wa1 

but  the  resulting  white  dust  must  be  carefully  wiped  up: 

1  tablespoonful  precipitated  whiting 

2  tablespoonfuls  household  ammonia 


To  dust  window  shades 
Apparatus: 

A  stepladder  and  a  flannelette  duster. 
Procedure: 

1.  Place  the  ladder  firmly  so  that  it  is  easy  to  reach  the  spring  end 

the  roller. 

2.  Roll  the  shade  up  as  far  as  possible  and  take  it  down  from  the  window 

If  it  will  not  roll  all  the  way  up  before  you  take  it  down,  roll 
up  before  coming  down  from  the  ladder;  otherwise  the  shade 
likely  to  wrinkle  and  be  damaged. 

3.  Unroll  carefully  over  a  table  or  out  on  the  floor.     Great  care  mi 

be  taken  to  prevent  the  shade  from  wrinkling. 

4.  Roll  up  slowly,  dusting  each  side  as  it  is  rolled. 

5.  Replace  the  shade  on  the  window,  and  test  to  see  whether  it  roj 

up  and  down  properly.     If  it  does  not  roll  quickly  to  the  midc 
of  the  window,  take  it  off  again  and  roll  up  before  replacing, 
it  will  not  pull  down  to  tnel)ottom,  pull  it  down  as  far  as  possibl 
take  it  off  again,  and  unroll  it  to  the  length  of  the  window  befc 
replacing. 

6.  Dust  the  middle  ledge  of  the  window  before  taking  the  stepladc 

away. 

WOODWORK 

See  under  "  Floors,  furniture,  and  woodwork,"  page  326. 


SUPPLEMENT  TO 


(Burn?!! 


LESSON  FOR  THE  FARM  HOME 

Published  semi-monthly  throughout  the  year  by  the  New  York  State  College  of 
Agriculture  at  Cornell  University.  Entered  as  second-class  matter  October  13, 
191  1,  at  the  post  office  at  Ithaca.  N.  Y.,  under  the  Act  of  Congress  of  July  16,  1894 

L.  H.  BAILEY,  Director 
COURSE  FOR  THE  FARM  HOME,  MARTHA  VAN  RENSSELAER,  Supervisor 


VOL.  i.  No.  23 


ITHACA,  N.  Y. 
SEPTEMBER  I,  1912 


FARM  HOUSE  SERIES  No.  4 


RULES  FOR  CLEANING 

DISCUSSION   PAPER 

Every  good  housekeeper  sees  the  necessity  of  system  in  her  work.  She 
has  "  short  cuts  "  and  methods  of  her  own  that  are  good.  May  we  have 
the  benefit  of  your  experience?  For  example,  a  woman  told  the  writer 
that  she  always  put  into  the  soapy  water  with  which  she  wiped  up  the 
veranda  some  kerosene  to  keep  away  mosquitoes.  Every  contribution 
helps  toward  better  housekeeping  methods.  What  will  you  contribute? 

i.  Give,  in  a  clear,  explicit  way,  directions  for  some  cleaning  process 
not  included  in  this  bulletin. 


2.  Study  carefully  the  conditions  under  which  you  are  working,  then 
answer  the  following  question:  Is  there  any  way  in  which  you  could 
systematize  the  work  and  save  both  time  and  strength? 


Name .... 
Address. 
Date... 


Met 
Oliv 


Methylated  spirit 

Olive  oil 

Paraffin 

Rottenstone 

Salt 

Separator  oil 


Apron,  stove 

Carpet,  piece  old  brussels 

Chamois  skin  or  leather 

Cheesecloth 

Cloth,  scrub 

Cloth,  soft 

Flannel,  canton 


Boiler,  for  clothes 

Brush,  closet 

Brush,  cornice 

Brush,  scrub 

Brush,  soft 

Brush,  trap 

Brush,  weighted 

Brush,  wire  (for  sink) 

Carpet  sweeper 

Dauber 

Dishpans 

Funnels 

Ironing  tables,  etc. 


RULES  FOR  CLEANING 


Soap 

Turpentine 
Vinegar 
Washing  soda 
Wax  (floor) 
Whiting 

Cleaning  articles 


323 


Flannel,  heavy 
Flannel,  waxing 
Flannelette  for  dusters 
Gloves,  rubber 
Mitt,  for  kerosene 

Waste,  cotton  (cotton  waste  may  be  bought 
at  any  hardware  store) 


Cleaning  utensils 

Irons 

Monkey  wrench 

Mop,  cloth 

Mop,  string 

Saucepans  (old) 

Scissors  (for  lamp) 

Stepladder 

Tub 

Tub,  fiber 

Washboard 

Whisk  broom 

Wringer 


THE  BATHROOM 

Apparatus: 

Closet  brush,  scrub  cloth,  dry  flannelette  duster,  and  string  mop. 
Procedure: 

i.  Clean  the  bathtub.  Let  in  a  little  very  hot  water,  rub  soap  on  the 
scrub  cloth,  and  wash  all  scum  deposits  from  the  tub.  Rinse  out 
the  tub  and  wash  the  taps.  See  that  the  outside  is  clean,  and  wipe 
everything  dry  with  the  duster. 

Clean  the  closet.  Raise  the  cover  and  the  wooden  seat.  Wash  the 
bowl  thoroughly  with  the  closet  brush.  If  necessary  scrub  above 
the  water  line  with  soap,  and  see  that  the  outside  is  clean.  Flush 
the  bowl.  Wash  the  seat  inside  and  out,  also  the  inside  of  the 
cover.  If  necessary,  wash  the  marble  floor-slab.  Wipe  everything 
dry  with  the  duster. 

Dust  the  floor  with  the  string  mop.  Take  pains  to  get  the  dust  out 
of  the  corners  and  from  under  the  tub.  Dust  the  chair  and  the 
woodwork. 

Wash  the  closet  brush  with  soap  in  the  washbasin,  rinse,  shake  thor- 
oughly, and  hang  up.  (This  brush  is  usually  kept  in  an  inconspicu- 
ous corner  of  the  bathroom.) 


324  THE  CORNELL  READING-COURSES 

5.  Wash  and  wipe  the  basin  taps.     Wipe  off  all  pipes  below  the  basin 

with  the  duster.     If  necessary,  scrub  the  basin. 

6.  Wash  and  rinse  the  scrub  cloth  and  the  duster  in  the  basin  and  wring 

as  dry  as  possible.     Rinse  out  the  basin  and  wipe  with  the  duster. 

7 .  Hang  up  the  cloths  to  dry. 

8.  If  tubs  and  other  appliances  have  been  neglected  and  are  very  dirty, 

it  may  be  necessary  to  scrub  them  with  kerosene. 

CUPBOARDS 
Apparatus: 

A  dishpan,  a  scrub  cloth,  a  clean  fine  duster,  and  a  dry  sink  towel. 
Procedure: 

1.  Fill  the  pan  half  full  of  soapy  water,  comfortably  warm. 

2 .  Clean  the  top  shelf.    Dust  each  article  and  place  on  a  lower  shelf  or 

other  convenient  place.     Wash  the  shelf  and  wipe  dry  with  the 
sink  towel.     Replace  each  article  belonging  to  the  shelf. 

3.  Clean  the  remaining  shelves,  cleaning  the  bottom  one  last. 

DAILY  DUSTING 

Apparatus: 

A  cheesecloth  duster,  a  slightly  damp  flannelette  duster,  a  string  mop, 

and  (if  the  room  has  a  rug  or  a  carpet)  the  carpet  sweeper. 
Procedure: 

1 .  Air  the  room,  if  necessary. 

2.  Sweep  the  rug  or  carpet  with  the  sweeper. 

3 .  Dust  any  bare  floor  with  the  string  mop. 

4.  Dust  the  window  glass,  window  ledges,  and  all  outstanding  of  wain- 

scoting, cupboards,  and  the  like,  with  the  flannelette  duster,  and 
the  chairs,  tables,  and  smaller  articles  with  the  finer  one. 

5.  Use  the  dusters  to  wipe  up  the  dust,  and  do  not  shake  them  about. 

When  one  duster  becomes  dirty  take  another. 

6.  Wipe  finger  marks  from  electric-light-button  plates. 

7.  When  dusting  stairways  it  may  be  necessary  to  use  the  long-handled 

cornice  brush. 

8.  Avoid  letting  soiled  dusters  rest  on  beds,  upholstered  furniture,  and 

like  places. 

9.  Be  careful  to  replace  desk  papers  exactly  as  they  were  found. 

10.  Arrange  the  window  shades  before  leaving  the  room. 

11.  Empty,  dust,  and  put  away  the  carpet  sweeper.     Put  away  the  string 

mop,  washing  it  if  necessary.     Wash  the  dusters  and  hang  them 
up  to  dry. 

12.  Dustless  dusters  and  mops  may  be  used  instead  of  dampened  ones. 


RULES  FOR  CLEANING 


325 


DISH  WASHING 

Apparatus: 

Dishpan,  rinsing  pan,  draining  pan  and  basket,  dishcloth,  several  clean, 

dry  dish  towels,  boiling  water,  soap,  and  washing  soda. 
Procedure: 

1 .  Put  iron  pots  and  pans  to  soak  in  strong  soda-water,  also  put  to  soak 

any  cooking  dishes  that  need  it.  Pile  one  inside  another  so  as  to 
clean  the  outside  also.  This  should  be  done  the  moment  the  con- 
tents are  emptied,  and  before  the  meal  goes  to  the  table. 

2.  Clean  the  dining  table,  and  leave  the  room  in  order. 

3.  Put  the  food  away,  scrape  and  stack  the  dishes  at  the  washing  end 

of  the  table,  putting  to  soak  any  that  need  it. 

4.  Set  out  the  pans,  with  the  draining  basket  in  the  rinsing  pan.     Half 

fill  the  dishpan  with  hot  soapy  water,  three  quarters  fill  the  rinsing 
pan  with  nearly  boiling  water. 

Wash  the  glass,  dropping  each  piece  gently  into  the  basket.  Put  flat 
silver  into  the  dishwater  to  soak.  Lift  the  basket  of  glass  into  the 
draining  pan,  dry  the  glass,  and  set  it  aside.  Use  the  softest  towels  for 
this  and  see  that  the  glass  is  left  shining.  ( If  you  prefer  the  glass  dried 
out  of  cold  water,  use  it,  and  then  fill  the  pan  with  boiling  water.) 

6.  Return  the  basket  to  the  rinsing  pan.     Wash,  rinse,  and  dry  the  silver 

the  same  as  the  glass.     The  towels  must  be  dry  for  the  silver. 

7.  Wash,  rinse,  and  dry  the  small  china  pieces  the  same  as  glass,  and  put 

away  the  basket. 

8.  Wash,  rinse,  and  leave  the  rest  of  the  china  and  crockery  to  drain, 

while  the  pots  and  pans  are  being  washed. 

9.  Dry  the  china  and  crockery,  rinse  and  dry  the  pots  and  pans.     Scour 

the  steel  knives  and  forks. 

10.  Put  away  all  the  dishes. 

11.  Empty  the  dishpan,  put  rinsing  water  in  it,  wash  the  other  pans,  dry 

with  the  cloth  wrung  dry,  and  put  them  away. 

12.  If  the  rinsing  water  is  still  clean  and  warm,  scrub  the  table  and  the 

sink  with  it;  if  not,  get  fresh  water.  Wash  the  teakettle,  inside 
and  out,  once  a  day,  when  the  water  is  soapy. 

13.  Put  towels  and  dishcloth  to  soak  in  hot  soapy  water.     This  need  be 

done  but  once  a  day,  usually  after  the  midday  meal. 

14.  Rub  off  the  stove.  Sweep  the  kitchen  floor.  Empty  the  garbage  pail. 

15.  Wash  the  towels  and  dishcloth.     Rinse  the  pail  out  with  the  suds, 

and  dry  with  the  cloth  wrung  dry.  Rinse  the  towels  thoroughly 
in  hot  water  and  hang  to  dry,  in  fresh  air  if  possible. 

1 6.  Dust  the  kitchen  once  a  day. 

NOTE. —  The  dishwater  should  be  kept  hot  and  soapy  enough  to  prevent  the  forma- 
tion of  a  grease  ring  on  the  pan,  and  should  be  changed  when  dirty.  Keep  the  rinsing 
water  very  hot,  thus  requiring  fewer  towels. 


326  THE  CORNELL  READING-COURSES 

THE  FIREPLACE 
Apparatus: 

A  stove  apron,  newspaper,  dustpan,  whisk,  the   blackleading    imple- 
ments, and  a  duster. 
Procedure: 

1.  Spread  the  newspaper  to  protect  the  hearth. 

2.  Brush  the  ashes  from  the  fire  basket  or  andirons,  and  move  the  basket 

or  irons  out  on  the  newspaper. 

3.  Brush  the  ashes  down  the  ash  hole. 

4.  Blacken  the  fire  basket  or  andirons,  and  replace  them. 

5.  Lay  a  fresh  fire  ready  to  light,  using  the  newspaper  on  the  hearth. 

6.  Brush  up  the  hearth,  dust  the  mantel  and  the  fire  irons. 

7.  Put  away  the  blackleading  implements,  dustpan,   and   other  appa- 

ratus, and  get  a  basin  of  warm  water,  a  small  scrub  brush,  and 
some  soap. 

8.  Wash  the  hearthstone  and,  if  necessary,  the  fire  irons. 

9.  A  fireplace  with  red  bricks  may  have  the  bricks  reddened  with  the 

reddening  mixture. 

Reddening  mixture 

i  oz.  common  glue  J  Ib.  Venetian  red 

i  tablespoonful  alum  i  Ib.  Spanish  brown 

i  gal.  water 

Dissolve  the  glue  in  the  water  over  the  fire.  While  hot,  add  the  alum. 
Add  the  Venetian  red  and  Spanish  brown.  If  too  light,  add  more  red  and 
brown;  if  too  dark,  add  water,  a  little  at  a  time  until  right.  Mix  well. 
Keep  in  a  closely  corked  bottle.  Apply  with  a  paint  brush. 

FLOORS,   FURNITURE,  AND  WOODWORK 

To  dust  hardwood  floors 
Apparatus: 

A  string  mop.     (A  dustless  mop  may  be  used.) 
Procedure: 

1.  Dampen  the  string  mop  if  the  floor  is  not  a  waxed  one.     It  may  be 

sprinkled  as  clothes  are  for  ironing,  or  may  be  held  in  the  steam  of 
a  teakettle,  but  it  must  not  be  damp  enough  to  show  wet  on  the 
floor. 

2.  Go  over  the  floor  assigned,  being  careful  that  every  board  is  rubbed. 

It  is  probably  better  to  rub  along  the  boards  than  across  them. 

3.  Take  especial  pains  to  go  under  tables,  desks,  and  like  furniture, 

moving  them  when  necessary. 


RULES  FOR  CLEANING 


327 


4.  Wash  out  the  mop  with  soap  and  water  when  necessary.  Rinse 
thoroughly,  wring  dry,  and  shake  out  well  so  as  to  make  it  as  fluffy 
as  possible.  Hang  to  dry  in  the  fresh  air,  or  in  a  warmjDlace,  with 
the  head  up. 

To  mop  a  floor 
Apparatus: 

Mopping  pail,  mop,  mop  wringer,  soap  solution,  and  hot  water. 
Procedure: 

i .  Fill  the  pail  three  quarters  full  of  hot  water,  add  one  half  cup  of  soap 

solution,  and  carry  it  to  the  room  assigned. 
Clear  the  floor  of  the  room  as  far  as  possible. 

Dip  the  mop  in  the  pail,  drain  without  wringing,  wet  one  section  of 
the  floor,  and  rub  it  clean.  Rinse  the  mop  in  the  pail,  wring  it 
tightly,  and  dry  the  wet  section, thoroughly  before  proceeding  to 
wet  another.  It  may  be  necessary  to  rinse  the  mop  several  times. 

4.  Begin  at  one  corner  of  the  room  and  work  toward  the  door.     Change 

the  water  when  necessary. 

5.  Wash  and  rinse  the  mop,  wring  it  tightly,  and  hang  it  head  up  to  dry 

in  the  fresh  air  if  possible. 

6.  Empty  the  pail,  rinse  pail  and  wringer  before  putting  them  away,  and 

leave  the  tub  clean. 

To  wax  a  floor 
Apparatus: 
The  can  of  floor  wax,  a  waxing  flannel,  a  half  yard  of  heavy  flannel  or  a 

piece  of  old  brussels  carpet,  and  a  weighted  brush. 
Procedure: 

1.  The  floor  must  be  clean  and  free  from  dust. 

2.  If  necessary,  stand  the  wax  can  in  a  dish  of  hot  water  in  order  to 

soften  the  wax. 

3.  Rub  the  waxing  flannel  on  the  wax  and  put  a  very  thin,  even  layer 

of  wax  on  the  floor.  It  is  better  to  rub  along  the  boards  than 
across.  Start  at  the  corner  farthest  from  the  door,  and  do  not 
step  on  the  waxed  part. 

4.  Put  away  the  wax  and  flannel,  and  keep  off  the  floor  for  at  least  three 

hours.  The  polishing  can  be  done  after  standing  an  hour,  but  is 
more  work. 

5.  Fold  the  piece  of  heavy  flannel  twice,  making  four  layers,  put  it  down 

on  the  floor,  put  the  weighted  brush  on  it,  and  rub  each  board,  with 
the  grain,'  until  it  shines.  The  piece  of  carpet  makes  an  excellent 
substitute  for  the  flanneL  The  polishing  can  be  done  on  the  hands 
and  knees  without  a  weighted  brush,  but  is  much  harder  work. 


328  THE  CORNELL  READING-COURSES 

To  polish  furniture 
Apparatus: 

A  bottle  of  furniture  polish,  a  small  handful  of  cotton  waste,  and  one  or 

two  flannelette  dusters  or  old  soft  cloths. 
Procedure: 

1.  Take  a  piece  of  the  cotton  waste  or  an  old  soft  cloth,  put  some  polish 

on  it,  and  rub  it  on  the  wood.  Use  as  little  polish  as  possible,  but 
rub  hard  to  remove  dirt  and  scratches.  Rub  with  the  grain  of 
the  wood. 

2.  Take  the  rest  of  the  cotton  waste  and  rub  as  much  of  the  polish  as 

possible  off  the  piece  of  furniture. 

3.  Polish  finally  with  the  flannelette,  rubbing  briskly  but  lightly  until 

the  surface  is  bright  and  there  is  no  appearance  of  oiliness.  Be 
especially  careful  to  rub  out  corners. 

4.  Burn  all  the  cotton  waste.     Be  careful  about  this,  because  oily  cotton 

has  often  caused  a  fire  through  its  spontaneous  combustion. 

5.  Put  away  the  polish  bottle,  wiping  the  outside  carefully. 

6.  Wash  the  dusters  and  hang  them  up  to  dry. 

Recipe  for  furniture  polish: 

8  oz.  linseed  oil  \  oz.  alcohol 

\  pt.  vinegar  \  oz.  butter  of  antimony 

J  oz.  muriatic  acid 

Mix  the  ingredients  thoroughly,  and  keep  in  a  closely  corked  bottle. 
This  polish  should  not  be  used  on  pianos. 

To  clean  a  piano  case 
Apparatus: 

A  bottle  of  olive  oil,  a  bottle  of  alcohol,  some  new  or  perfectly  clean  can- 
ton flannel,  a  perfectly  clean  chamois  leather,  and  a  basin  of  water. 
Procedure: 

1.  Wet  a  small  piece  of  the  flannel  and  drop  on  it  a  few  drops  of  oil. 

2.  Rub,  with  the  wet  flannel,  a  small  section  of  the  case  at  a  time,  and 

immediately  rub  it  thoroughly  with  a  dry  piece  of  the  flannel, 
before  proceeding  to  a  fresh  section. 

3.  Polish  finally  with  the  chamois  or  a  fresh  piece  of  the  flannel.     Rub 

with  the  grain  of  the  wood,  and  breathe  on  it  occasionally  to  help 
remove  any  oiliness  that  may  remain.  A  very  little  flour  rubbed 
with  the  grain  of  the  wood  will  also  help  to  remove  oiliness,  but 
its  use  should  not  be  necessary. 

4.  Wash  the  piano  keys  with  a  corner  of  the  flannel  wet  with  alcohol. 

Be  careful,  however,  to  avoid  touching  the  wood  with  the  alcohol, 
as  it  will  ruin  the  varnish. 


RULES  FOR  CLEANING 


329 


To  polish  woodwork  or  floors  with  kerosene 
Apparatus: 

The  kerosene  can,  the  kerosene  plate,  a  kerosene  mitt,  a4iandful  of 
cotton  waste  (or  an  old  soft  cloth) ,  and  a  soft  woolen  or  flannelette  cloth. 
Procedure: 

1 .  Put  a  very  thin  layer  of  kerosene  in  the  plate  and  dip  the  mitt  into  it. 

2.  Rub  a  section  of  the  wood  hard  with  the  mitt,  being  careful  to  clean 

out  the  corners  thoroughly.  Immediately  rub  as  much  kerosene 
off  the  section  as  possible  with  the  cotton  waste  or  old  cloth.  Then 
proceed  to  clean  the  next  section. 

3.  When  all  the  wood  has  been  cleaned  and  the  first  section  has  stood 

for  an  hour,  polish  it  finally  with  the  woolen  cloth.  It  will  be  all 
the  better  to  stand  three  or  four  hours  before  the  polishing. 

4.  Put  away  the  kerosene  mitt,  plate,  and  can,  and  burn  the  waste. 

5.  Wash  the  polishing  cloth  in  strong  soapsuds,  rinse  carefully,  and  hang 

it  to  dry. 
NOTE. —  In  all  wood  polishing  rub  with  the  grain  of  the  wood. 

To  clean  woodwork 
Apparatus: 

A  fiber  tub,  two  flannelette  dusters,  borax,  and  warm  water. 
Procedure: 

i.  Put  a  level  tablespoonful  of  borax  into  the  tub  and  half  fill  the  tub 

with  warm  water.     The  water  should  be  comfortably  warm. 
!.  Wash  a  section  of  the  woodwork  with  one  duster,  and  immediately 

rub  dry  with  the  other  duster  before  proceeding  to  the  next  section. 
i.  When  two  do  this  work  together,  better  progress  is  made  when  one 

washes  and  the  other  dries  the  wood. 

4.  A  stepladder  is  necessary  for  high  woodwork. 

5.  When  all  the  wood  is  cleaned,  wash  out  the  dusters  carefully  and  hang 

them  up  to  dry. 

NOTE. —  A  steel  wire  brush,  such  as  is  used  by  painters,  will  expedite  the  cleaning 
out  of  corners  and  angles  when  the  woodwork  has  been  badly  neglected. 

To  dust  woodwork 
Apparatus: 

One  or  more  damp  flannelette  dusters. 
Procedure: 

1.  Begin  at  one  corner  of  the  room  and  dust  the  baseboard  of  wain- 

scoting.    Do  the  doors  and  windows  as  they  come. 

2.  Use  the  dusters  to  wipe  up  the  dust  and  do  not  shake  them  about. 

When  one  duster  becomes  dirty,  take  another.  Go  over  every 
board  of  the  woodwork,  and  be  careful  not  to  slur  over  the  corners 
but  to  take  the  dust  out  of  them, 


330  THE  CORNELL  READING-COURSES 

3.  When  dusting  stairways  it  may  be  necessary  to  use  a  long-handled 

cornice  brush  in  order  to  reach  all  parts. 

4.  Woodwork  with  many  panels  is  easily  dusted  with  a  woolly  stove- 

mitt,  which  is  kept  for  the  purpose. 

5.  Wash  out  the  dusters  with  soap  and  water  and  hang  them  up  to 

dry. 

LAMPS 
Apparatus: 

An  old  newspaper,  the  kerosene  can,  a  damp  flannelette  duster,  lamp 

scissors,  and  a  dry  towel. 
Procedure: 

1.  Carry  the  lamps  to  a  sink,  or  to  a  table  convenient  to  the  sink. 

2.  Spread  the  paper  and  place  everything  on  it. 

3 .  Wash  and  dry  the  lamp  chimneys  as  if  they  were  tumblers,  set  them 

aside,  and  put  away  the  towel. 

4.  Open  up  the  lamp  burner,  screw  up  the  wick,  trim  off  all  the  char 

with  the  scissors,  and  screw  down  the  wick  a  quarter  of  an  inch 
below  the  brass.  Be  careful  not  to  drop  the  char  around.  Round 
wicks  must  have  the  char  rubbed  off  with  the  duster. 

5.  vSoap  one  corner  of  the  duster  and  rub  carefully  every  part  of  the 

brass  burner;  if  necessary,  polish  as  directed  on  page  332,  "To 
clean  brass  and  copper." 

6.  Fill  each  lamp  nearly  full   of  kerosene.     See  that  the  burner  is 

properly  screwed  on,  and  wipe  the  body  of  the  lamp  carefully. 

7.  Put  on  the  chimneys  and  set  the  lamps  in  their  places. 

8.  Wash  the  scissors  and  duster  and  hang  the  duster  to  dry.     Gather 

all  trimmings  in  the  paper  and  burn  both  trimmings  and  paper . 
They  are  not  safe  to  leave  around. 

LAUNDERING 

To  wash  with  paraffin 
Apparatus: 

Paraffin  wax,  laundry  soap,  soft  water,  clothes  boiler,  saucepan,  laundry 

tub,  and  wringer. 
Procedure: 

1 .  Soak  the  clothes  over  night  in  cold  soft  water. 

2.  Shred  one  half  cup  of  paraffin  and  one  half-pound  bar  of  soap,  and 

melt  in  one  pint  of  hot  water. 

3.  Fill  the  boiler  with  soft  water  and  bring  to  boiling  point;  add  the 

paraffin  mixture. 

4.  Wring  the  clothes  out  of  the  water  in  which  they  are  soaking,  put 

them  in  the  boiler,  and  boil  .one  half  hour. 


RULES  FOR  CLEANING  331 

5.  Remove  the  clothes  to  a  tub  of  soft,  warm  water,  or  a  washing 

machine,  and  rinse  the  soapsuds  well  out  of  them.  Only  the 
very  dirty  parts  need  to  be  rubbed.  This  rinsing  water  must 
be  kept  as  warm  as  possible. 

6.  Rinse  in  clear  cold  water. 

7 .  Rinse  in  bluing  water. 

NOTE  —  For  a  washing  of  about  five  boilerfuls,  prepare  twice  the  amount  of 
paraffin  and  soap,  putting  one  half  of  it  in.  the  first  boilerful  and  adding  more  to  each 
succeeding  boilerful  of  clothes. 

To  launder  table  linen 
Apparatus: 

Tub,  washboard  or  washing  machine,  soap,  ironing  table  with  blanket 

and  sheet,  hot  irons,  and  cloth  for  cleaning  irons. 
Procedure: 

Washing 

1 .  Remove  all  stains. 

2.  Soak  over  night  if  possible  in  softened  water. 

3 .  Wash  in  hot  water,  using  soap  and  the  board  or  machine. 

4.  Boil  or  scald  fifteen  minutes  in  soapy  water. 

5.  Rinse  in  cold  water. 

6.  Rinse  in  cold  bluing  water. 

7.  Dry  out  of  doors  if  possible. 

NOTE. —  For  old  linen  add  one  cup  of  boiled  starch  to  each  gallon  of  bluing  water. 

Dampening 

1 .  Dampen  well. 

2 .  Roll  up  tightly  and  let  lie  over  night  if  possible. 

Ironing 

1 .  General  rules : 

a.  Pull  well  into  shape. 

b.  Have  the  irons  very  hot. 

c.  Press  heavily. 

d.  Iron  until  perfectly  dry. 

2 .  Ironing  and  folding  a  table  napkin : 

a.  Place  the  napkin  on  the  table  wrong  side  up,  with  the  name 

on  the  upper  right-hand  corner. 

b.  Fold  the  lower  edge  to  within  £  inch  of  the  upper  edge,  and  iron. 

c.  Fold  the  lower  edge  even  with  the  upper  edge,  and  iron. 

d.  Fold  the  left-hand  edge  to  within  f  inch  of  the  right-hand  edge, 

and  iron. 


332  THE  CORNELL  READING-COURSES 

e.  Fold  the  left  edge  even  with  the  right-hand  edge,  and  iron. 

f .  Turn  over  and  iron  the  remaining  square. 

3.  Ironing  and  folding  a  table  cloth  in  the  screen  fold  of  four: 
a    Fold  the  cloth  lengthwise,  wrong  side  out. 

b.  Fold  again  lengthwise. 

c.  Drop  one  selvage  and  bring  it  back  to  the  folded  edge  on  the 

opposite  side. 

d.  Place  lengthwise  on  the  ironing  table  and  iron  the  top  quarter. 

e.  Open  and  iron  the  middle  quarters. 

f.  Fold   the  middle   quarters   together   and   iron   the   remaining 

quarter. 

NOTE  —  If  the  cloth  is  very  large  or  the  table  very  narrow,  it  is  better  to  fold  it  in 
two,  right  side  out,  iron  both  sides,  and  refold  in  the  screen  fold. 

To  wash  chamois  leather 
Apparatus: 

Warm  water  and  washing  soda,  soap,  and  a  clean  towel. 
Procedure: 

1 .  Dissolve  one  eighth  cup  of  washing  soda  in  two  quarts  of  lukewarm 

water. 

2.  Soak  the  chamois  in  the  soda  water  fifteen  to  sixty  minutes,  accord- 

ing to  dirtiness. 

3.  Lift  the  chamois  into  a  basin  of  warm,  strong  soapsuds,  and  squeeze 

and  work  them  with  the  hands  until  clean.  Be  careful  not  to 
rub  or  wring  them.  Very  soiled  places  may  be  put  on  a  smooth 
surface  and  brushed  with  a  small  brush. 

4.  Rinse  thoroughly  in  warm,  soft  water.     Press  as  much  water  out 

as  possible  by  pulling  through  the  hand.  Roll  in  the  towel  and 
wring  tightly.  Stretch  well  in  all  directions  and  hang  to  dry. 

5.  Stretch  and  rub  the  chamois  two  or  three  times  while  they  are  drying. 

METAL  WARE 

To  clean  brass  and  copper 
Apparatus: 

Rottenstone,    sweet   oil,    scouring    flannels,    chamois   skin,   clean   dry 

towel,  and  a  saucer;  also,  if  necessary,  a  soft  brush. 
Procedure: 

i.  Wash  the  article  in  hot,  soapy  water.  If  badly  tarnished,  it  may 
be  necessary  to  make  a  weak  solution  of  oxalic  acid  and  rub  this 
over  the  article  before  washing  it,  The  acid,  however,  is  a  danger- 
ous thing  to  use  if  the  skin  is  broken  anywhere  on  the  hands, 


RULES  FOR  CLEANING  333 

Mix  a  little  paste  of  rottenstone  and  oil  in  the  saucer  and  scour 
the  brass  vigorously  with  it.  Be  especially  careful  to  get  it  into 
crevices  and  corners. 

Wash  thoroughly  with  hot  water  and  soap,  rinse,  and  dry.  If  the 
article  seems  greasy  after  the  washing,  the  water  was  not  suffi- 
ciently soapy  and  the  washing  should  be  done  over. 

Polish  with  chamois  skin. 

Wash  out  the  cloths  and  chamois  skin  and  hang  them  up  to  dry. 

NOTE. —  If  the  article  is  very  badly  tarnished  it  may  be  rubbed  with  fine  emery 
paper,  or  fine.ly  pulverized  pumice  stone  may  be  used  as  a  paste  with  the  acid  or  with 
water,  rubbing  vigorously. 


To  clean  granite  ware 
Apparatus: 

A  vessel  large  enough  to  hold  the  utensil  being  cleaned,  and  one  that 
will  not  be  affected  by  strong  soda  solution;  washing  soda,  bath 
brick,  dishcloth,  and  dish  towel. 
Procedure: 

1 .  Place  the  utensils  to  be  cleaned  in  the  larger  vessel. 

2.  Nearly  fill  with  cold  water. 

3.  Add  soda  in  the  proportion  of  one  half  cup  soda  to  one  quart  cold 

water. 

4.  Let  boil  for  an  hour  or  until  most  of  the  dirt  will  rinse  off  readily. 

5.  Take  the  utensils  out  of  the  soda  water  and  rinse  under  the  tap. 

6.  If  necessary  scour  the  utensils  with  bath  brick  or  sapolio,  in  order 

to  remove  obstinate  spots. 

7.  Wash  like  ordinary  dishes. 

NOTE. — It  may  be  necessary  to  repeat  this  operation  several  times  in  extreme  cases. 

To  clean  ironware 
Apparatus: 

An  old  newspaper,  a  flannelette  duster,  a  lump  of  beeswax  or  mutton 
fat  tied  in  a  square  of  cloth,  a  piece  of  old  cloth  for  scouring,  some 
coarse  salt,  and  a  basin  of  soapy  water. 
Procedure: 

To  season  new  ironware 

1.  Heat  the  iron  utensil  hot  enough  to  melt  the  wax  or  fat. 

2.  Spread  the  newspaper  on  the  table;  rub  the  utensil  with  the  wax. 

3.  Wash  in  hot,  soapy  water. 
NOTE. — Repeat  several  times  if  necessary. 


334  THE  CORNELL  READING-COURSES 

To  clean  rusty  ironware 

1.  Spread  the  newspaper  on  the  table. 

2.  If  very  rusty,  rub  the  ironware  with  kerosene  and  let  stand  for  an 

hour,  or  longer  if  necessary,  before  further  treatment. 

3.  Heat  the  utensil  enough  to  melt  the  wax  or  fat. 

4.  Rub  with  wax  or  fat  until  well  covered.     Then  scour  off  with  salt. 

5.  Wash  the  utensil  with  hot  soapsuds  and  dry. 

6.  Heat  until  thoroughly  dry. 

7.  If  the  weather  is  damp  or  the  ironware  is  being  put  away  for  some 

time,  rub  with  wax,  vaseline,  or  saltless  fat  of  any  kind,  in  order 
to  prevent  rust. 

NOTE. —  It  may  sometimes  be  necessary  to  use  finely  pulverized  bath  brick  in  ad- 
dition to  the  salt.  Flatirons  should  be  cleaned  as  described  for  ironware. 

To  clean  nickel 
Apparatus: 

The  bottle  of  ammonia,  a  tablespoonful  of  whiting  in  a  small  bowl,  a 
small  woolen  cloth,  and  a  larger  woolen  cloth  or  a  flannelette  duster. 
Procedure: 

1.  Stir  enough  household  ammonia  into  the  whiting  to  make  a  thin 

paste,  as  thick  as  milk. 

2.  Rub  the  paste  over  the  nickel,  rubbing  it  well  into  crevices. 

3.  When  dry,  rub  the  whiting  off  and  polish  with  the  dry  woolen  cloth. 

4.  If  stains  still  remain,  it  will  be 'necessary  to  scour  them  off  with 

sapolio  or  something  similar. 

NOTE. —  When  nickel  on  a  stove  has  been  neglected  and  is  very  dirty,  it  is  often 
easier  to  clean  the  pieces  after  they  have  been  unscrewed  and  taken  off;  but  it  is 
necessary  to  look  after  all  the  bolts  and  screws  carefully  and  see  that  all  are  put  back 
in  their  proper  places. 

To  clean  silver 
Apparatus: 

A  bottle  of  silver  polish,  a  small  piece  of  old,  soft  cloth,  a  clean  flannel 

or  flannelette  cloth,  a  plate  brush,  and  a  clean  chamois  skin. 
Procedure: 

1.  Shake  the  polish  bottle  thoroughly,  wet  the  old  cloth  with  the  polish, 

and  rub  all  the  silver  all  over  with  it.  Then  wash  the  mouth 
and  cork  of  the  bottle,  and  cork  the  bottle  tightly.  When  clean- 
ing a  large  amount  of  silver,  pour  the  polish  in  a  small  saucer 
to  use. 

2.  When  the  whiting  is  dry  on  the  silver,  rub  off  as  much  as  possible 

with  the  flannel  cloth. 

3.  Brush  the  whiting  out  of  cracks  and  crevices  with  the  plate  brush. 


RULES  FOR  CLEANING  335 

4.  Polish  with  the  chamois. 

5.  If  necessary,  wash  the  chamois. 
Recipe  for  silver  polish: 

1  cup  methylated  spirit  (wood  alcohol) 

2  tablespoonfuls  household  ammonia 
J  cup  precipitated  whiting 

Mix  the  ingredients  and  keep  in  a  closely  corked  bottle.  Shake  thor- 
oughly before  using. 

NOTE. —  The  silver  polish  should  be  of  the  consistency  of  milk  when  being  used. 

To  clean  steel  ware 
Apparatus: 

A  knife  board  if  knives  are  to  be  cleaned,  bath  brick  or  sapolio,  cork, 

dishcloth,  dish  towel,  and  clean  chamois. 
Procedure: 

1.  Spread  a  newspaper  on  the  table  and  place  on  it  the  utensils  to  be 

cleaned. 

2.  Pulverize  finely  some  of  the  bath  brick. 

3.  Moisten  the  cork  with  water  and  dip  it  in  the  bath  brick  or  sapolio. 

4.  Rub  the  steel  utensil  vigorously  with  the  moist  bath  brick. 

5.  Wash  in  warm  water,  being  careful  not  to  immerse  knife  handles  in 

hot  water. 

6.  Wipe  thoroughly  dry. 

NOTE. —  If  steel  utensils  are  to  be  kept  some  time  without  being  used,  extra  pre- 
caution must  be  taken  to  have  them  thoroughly  free  from  moisture.  They  may  be 
dried  in  very  gentle  heat.  Dry  flour,  dry  bath  brick,  or  oil  on  the  blades  will  prevent 
any  rust. 

To  clean  zinc 
Apparatus: 

The  kerosene  can,  some  cotton  waste  or  an  old  cloth,  a  bottle  of  vinegar 

and  alum  mixture  (see  below),  and  an  old  pot. 
Procedure: 

1.  Take  a  piece  of  cotton  waste  or  an  old  cloth,  pour  a  little  kerosene 

on  the  zinc,  and  spread  it  all  over  with  the  waste  or  cloth. 

2.  Start  at  one  corner  and  rub  hard  with  the  waste  or  cloth  until  the 

zinc  is  clean  and  bright. 

3.  Finally,  rub  off  all  superfluous  kerosene  with  a  piece  of  fresh  waste. 

4.  If  the  zinc  has  been  neglected  and  is  very  dirty,  heat  some  of  the 

vinegar  and  alum  mixture  in  the  old  pot.     Apply  it  hot,   rub 
hard,  and  wipe  off  immediately, 
q.  Burn  the  waste. 


336  THE  CORNELL  READING-COURSES 

Vinegar  and  alum  mixture: 

2  oz.  powdered  alum 
i  qt.  strong  vinegar 

Boil  the  vinegar,  add  the  alum,  and  stir  until  dissolved.  Apply  hot. 
Badly  stained  nickel  can  be  cleaned  by  boiling  in  this  mixture  until  the 
stains  begin  to  disappear,  before  polishing.  Keep  in  a  tightly  corked 
bottle. 

THE  REFRIGERATOR 

Apparatus: 

Two  dishpans,  the  trap  brush,  a  small  scrub  brush,  two  dishcloths, 

a  clean  towel,  soap,  washing  soda,  and  ammonia. 
Procedure: 

1.  Empty  the  water  pan  below  and  replace  it. 

2.  Fill  the  sink  or  a  dishpan  half  full  of  strong,  hot  soapsuds.      Put 

warm  water  into  a  dishpan  to  the  depth  of  an  inch  and  add  a 
half  tablespoonful  ammonia. 

3.  Remove  the  ice  to  the  other  dishpan,  using  the  dishcloths  to  pre- 

vent its  slipping.     Gather  up  any  straws  or  dirt. 

4.  Remove  all  food.    Put  the  ice  rack  and  the  shelves  into  the  soapsuds. 

5.  Wash  the  ice  box  carefully  and  quickly  with  the  ammonia  water. 

Be  sure  to  get  all  the  corners  clean,  and  scrub  the  waste  pipe 
with  the  trap  brush.  Rinse  it  down  with  the  ammonia  water 
and  then  with  a  dipperful  of  fresh,  clean  water.  Dry  with  the 
dishcloth  wrung  out  of  clean  water. 

6.  If  the  waste  pipe  is  movable,  take  it  out  of  the  food  closet  and  put 

it  in  the  soapsuds.  Scrub  the  ice  rack  and  the  shelves  with  the 
scrub  brush,  and  the  pipe  with  the  trap  brush.  Let  off  the  suds, 
rinse  the  pieces  in  plenty  of  cold  water,  and  dry  with  the  towel. 

7.  Replace  the  ice  rack  and  the  ice,  and  close  the  ice-box  doors. 

8.  Mix  a  fresh  lot  of  ammonia  water,  and  wash  the  walls   and  floor 

of  the  food  closet.  Be  sure  the  corners  are  clean.  Dry  with 
the  towel.  Be  very  sure  that  movable  parts  belonging  to  the 
waste  pipe  are  taken  apart,  washed  thoroughly,  and  carefully 
fitted  back  into  place.  Then  replace  the  waste  pipe  and  the 
shelves. 

9.  Replace  the  food,  but  do  not  close  the  doors. 

10.  Wash  out  the  pipe  cap  under  the  refrigerator  most  carefully  with 

the  ammonia  water  and  soap. 

11.  Empty  the  water  pan  and  wash  it  thoroughly,  with  plenty  of  soap 

in  the  ammonia  water,  before  replacing  it. 

12.  Close  the  refrigerator  doors. 

13.  Wash  out  and  put  away  the  dishpan,  brushes,  and  cloths. 


RULES  FOR  CLEANING 


337 


THE    SINK 

To  flush  a  sink  trap 
Apparatus: 

An  old  granite  or  iron  pot,  a  granite  funnel,  a  stick,  and  one  third  cup 

washing  soda  for  each  sink. 
Procedure: 

1.  Put  the  soda  in  the  pot,  add  a  quart  of  water  for  each  one  third 

cup  of  soda.  Bring  it  to  a  boil,  stirring  to  dissolve  the  soda  but 
only  with  a  stick  that  can  be  thrown  away  afterwards. 

2.  Put  the  funnel  in  the  sink  plug-hole  and  pour  down  the  quart  of 

boiling  soda-water.  Be  careful  not  to  let  the  soda  get  on  hands 
or  drain  boards.  Leave  the  pot,  stick,  and  funnel  in  the  sink. 

3.  See  that  no  water  goes  down  the  sink  for  half  an  hour. 

4.  Plug  the  sink  and  fill  it  with  water,  hot  if  possible.     Then  remove 

the  plug  and  let  the  rush  of  water  finish  cleaning  out  the  trap. 

5.  Rinse,  dry,  and  put  away  the  funnel,  pot,  and  other  implements  and 

leave  everything  tidy  at  the  sink. 

6.  Every  sink  and  trap  in  the  house  should  have  this  treatment  at 

least  once  a  week. 

To  clean  out  a  sink  trap 
Apparatus: 

An  empty  garbage  pail,  an  old,  small  sieve,  the  trap  brush,  a  monkey 

wrench,  an  old  pot,  and  one  fourth  cup  washing  soda. 
Procedure: 

1.  Put  the  soda  into  the  pot,  add  two  quarts  of  water,  and  boil. 

2.  Set  the  pail  under  the  trap  and  unscrew  the  cap  at  the  bottom  of 

the  S-trap. 

3.  Remove  any  obstruction  that  may  be  there,  and  brush  out  both 

sides  of  the  trap  pipe  with  the  trap  brush. 

4.  Pour  the  soda  solution  down  the  sink,  then  put  on  the  screw  cap. 

5.  Put  the  sieve  in  the  sink,  empty  the  contents  of  the  pail  through  it, 

then  empty  the  contents  of  the  sieve  into  the  stove. 

6.  Plug  the  sink,  fill  it  with  water,  and  wash  the  sieve,  garbage  pail, 

and  trap  brush.  Then  let  the  water  away  in  order  to  flush  the 
trap.  While  it  is  running  away,  examine  the  trap  to  make  sure 
that  it  is  not  leaking  at  the  screw. 


THE  STOVE 

To  blacklead  a  kitchen  stove 
Apparatus: 

The  black-lead  plate,  the  turpentine  bottle,  a  dauber,  a  black-lead 
brush,  black  lead,  soap,  an  old  flannel  cloth,  a  pail  of  hot  water,  and 
a  stove  apron. 


338  THE  CORNELL  READING-COURSES 

Procedure: 

1.  Put  on  the  stove  apron. 

2.  Mix  the  black  lead  with  enough  warm  water  to  make  it  the  con- 

sistency of  cream,  then  add  a  few  drops  of  turpentine. 

3.  Wet  the  cloth,  rub  it  on  the  cake  of  soap,  and  wash  the  stove  all 

over  with  it.  Rinse  the  cloth  and  renew  the  soap  as  often  as 
necessary.  The  object  is  to  get  rid  of  old  blacking  and  grease, 
and  so  make  the  surface  easier  to  polish.  Soda  water  is  an  ex- 
cellent substitute  for  soap,  if  the  stove  is  very  greasy  or  has 
been  neglected. 

4.  Let  the  stove  dry. 

5.  Commence  at  the  top  of  the  stove.     With  the  dauber  apply  a  thin 

layer  of  blacking  to  one  section  of  the  stove,  and  polish 
immediately  with  the  black-lead  brush;  then  proceed  to  blacken 
and  polish  the  next  section.  If  the  blacking  is  allowed  to  dry 
before  the  brushing,  the  polish  is  harder  to  obtain;  therefore, 
daub  only  as  much  as  can  be  polished  before  it  dries  out. 

6.  Fireplace  baskets  and  irons  do  not  require  washing  very  often. 

7.  Burn  the  old  cloth,  wash  out  the  pail,  and  put  everything  away  tidily. 
NOTE. —  It  is  now  considered  good  practice  to  oil  kitchen  stoves,  thus  avoiding  the 

labor  and  dust  of  the  blackleading  process. 

To  oil  a  kitchen  stove 

1 .  Put  a  little  separator  oil  on  a  wad  of  cotton  waste  and  rub  it  on  all 

the  iron  parts  of  the  stove. 

2.  Rub  off  with  fresh  waste,  an  old  cloth,  or  some  crumpled  paper. 

3.  Polish  with  a  dry  flannelette  or  woolen  cloth  until  all  oiliness  is  gone. 

4.  Burn  the  waste,  old  cloth,  or  paper.     Be  particular  about  this  be- 

cause oily  waste  and  oily  cloths  are  a  frequent  cause  of  fire 
through  spontaneous  combustion. 

5.  Wash  out  the  polishing  cloth. 

To  clean  a  gas  stove  thoroughly 
Apparatus: 

A  stove  apron,  a  couple  of  old  newspapers,  a  wire  sink-brush,  a  monkey 
wrench,  whisk,  dustpan  and  brush,  a  sink  towel,  several  pieces  of 
old  cloth,  soap  and  washing  soda,  and  the  separator-oil  bottle. 
Procedure: 

1.  Put  on  the  apron  and  spread  the  papers  on  the  table. 

2.  Turn  off  the  gas  at  the  main  supply  pipe  with  the  monkey  wrench. 

3.  Fill  a  large  dishpan  with  strong,  hot  soapsuds,  put  into  it  to  soak 

the  dripping  pan  and  rack  and  any  movable  nickel  pieces  of 
the  stove. 


Gaylord  Bros. 

Makers 

Syracuse,  N.  Y. 
PAT.  JAN.  21 ,1908 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are 


• 


TNI  1196589 
REC'D 

M   5 '66 -3PM 


LOAN  DEPT. 


WAR 


AUG  12  1966*9 
RECEIVED 

10 '66- 

LOAN  Dl 


REG.  GiB.  FBI  3 '75 


LD  21A-60m-4,'G4 
(E4555slO)476B 


General  Library 

University  of  California 

Berkeley 


